Coupler



May 28, 1935. J. ELLIOTT T AL CUPLER Filed De c. 1, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1935- J. ELLIOTT 1=:r AL 2,002,658

COUELER Filed Dec. 1, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Patente d May 28, 1935 PAT;NT

. OFFICE;

COUPLER Joseph Elliott and James Chalmers, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Applioatonbecember 1, 1933, Serial No. 700,581 4'Claims. (Cl. 2s033.15)

The invention relates to cuplers, particularly designed for use on trailers and a general object of the invention is to provide a coupler which will permit a truck or towihg vehicle tobe quickly coupled to a trailer and which is arranged so that the coupler can be easily and quickly released from a distant point.

A further object isto design the coupler so that when backing' up, any damagingback thrust will be absorbed in an abutment provided and also to arrange the locking parts so that there is no possibility ofthem becoming actidentally unlocked and the cupler thereby released.

A further object is to provide means for raising the coupling ring to guide it well up into the forward jaw of the rotary coupling member when the ring is initially pulled ahead, and thereby avoid any undue strain on the tip of such*jaw. A V

A further object of the invention is to provide the rotary coupling member*with a dog adapted to automatically lock the coupling member in working position and to supply the"dog.with a latch operating in the locked position of thecoupling to positivelyprevent any accidental displacement of the dog. A?

Afurther object is to arrange the parts so that when the rotary coupling member is rotated by the coupling ring to coupled position, the dog 30 and latch will automatically gravitate to their locking positions and such that when the latch is forcibly lifted it will raise the dog and release the rotary coupling member.

With the above more important objects in view, 5' the invention consists essentially in the arrangment and construction of parts hereinafter=nitre particularly described, reference being had to the acco'mpanying drawings, inwhich:

Fi"g. 1 is a perspective view of the coupler.r

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. v Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view at 33 Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view at 44 Figure3. -7 45 Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4 and showing the coupler in released position.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross sectional view at 6-6 Figure 2. A

Fig. 7 :is a vertical sectional view at 1l Figure6. Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view at 88 Figure 2.

- Fig. 9 is a perspective view ofthe latch.

In the drawingslike characters of reference indicate oorresponding parts in the several figures The body member l of the coupler is provided centrally with a pair of opposing spaced similar forwardly extending arms 2 and 3 and has upper 5 and lower horizontally disposed reinforcing fianges 4 and 5 at the outer sides of the arms,

one of theglower fianges beingsupplied with a hook 6. Astationary jaw extends forwardly from the body member in a location centrally be- 10 low the arms, therear part of the jaw being stepped as shown best in Figures 4 and 5 to provide a vertical shoulder 8 for a purpose later disclosed. r Centrally and rearwardly the body member is supplied with an upwardly extending transverse fiange l0 having a horizontal shoulder Il provided at the base thereof. The front face l2 of the "fiang'e is engaged by a dog later described. V

The jaw l is supplied in advance ofthe shoulder 8 with an up curving guide finger 13 which cooperates with the parts later described The body member when in use is fastened such as by bolts l4 permahently to the forepart of a. trailer, truck or the like as indicated at l5. 25

The forward ends ofthe arms carry a stout pvot pin l6 on which we mount rotatably a rotary coupling member ll. The coupling member is provided with a forward jaw 18 on its under side which is adapted to overliethe forward end of the jaw 1" and with a pair of similar, spaced, rear jaws l9 and 20 which latter in the locked position of the rotary coupling member have their rear ends adapted to engage similar shoulders 2| presented by the body member and prevent further rotation in a clockwise direction of the coupling member. It will be observed that the jaw l8 and those l9 and 23 provide therebetween a curved passage for a cupling ring 22 carried at the rear end of a suitable draw bar 23, the jaw 8 at such time actually passing through the opening of the ring. A A

The upper part of the rotary coupling member is provided with a pair of spaced upwardly extending lugs 24 and 25 which are equipped with rearwardly disposed, upwardly and rearwardly inclined shoulders 26 for a purpose later dis- A closed. The lugs carry a pvot pin 21 on which we mount agravity locking dog 28, the dog having its rear end of an invertedL-shapeand adapted to normally engage the flang l0. The pin 21 is prevented from escaping by providing the arms 2 and 3with upstanding flan'ges 29 and"3tl which flanges are so shaped that they prevent end shiftlower tip of the jaw i8is directly in advance of the finger so that the finger has a natural tendency to direct the forwardly pulled Ting 22 upwardly to firmly engage the main body of the jaw i8 instead of the lower tip thereof which would be the natural tendency ifsuch finger were not provided.

A looking latch 3l is pivotally connected by a pvot pin 32 to the rear part of the dog and such latch spans the dog and is provided With shoulders.33 adapted in the dog looking position of the latch to engage with the shoulders 26 already described. It is here explained that the inner faces of the lugs 24 and .25 are cut away to provide room for the side arms of the latch. The latch and dog are so arranged that when the dog is looking the rotary coupling member against rotation in a counter clockwise direction, the latch by engagement with the sholders fi is looking the dog 'against rotation in a clockwise direction. We have found that if a looking latch for the dog is not supplied, there is a possibility under normal road conditions of the dog jumping up due to road shock and releasing the coupler. With the latch supplied, this is impossible.

When it is desired to release the coupler, the forward tip of the latch will be raised to clear it from the shoulders 26 and then a lifting movement on the latch will cause the lifting of the dog to clear it from the fiange l (see Figure The latch can be operated from a distance by attaching a pulling line to it, the pulling line being passed through the hole 3 i of the latch and then ti ed. In the released position of the coupler, the free end of the latch rides the top face of the rotary coupling member. r In order that the invention may be clearly understood, we will now describe its operation assuming that the rotary coupling member and associated parts are in the position shown in Figure 5 and the ring of the draw bar is backed up to engage the lower javvs !:9 and 20. As the ring engages the jaws and continues its back movement, it causes a clockwise rotation of the 1 rotary coupling member, this continuing until the rear parts of the said jaws have engaged the shoulders2l. During this movement, the jaw E8 has'been passed through the ring and has become caught in the transverse passage between the jaws l8, l53 and 29, the rear end of the dog has dropped under the action of gravity and has taken its locked position butted against the face l 2 and resting on the shoulder H and the latch has gravitated to itslocked position with the shoul- A ders 33 thereof opposing the shoulders 26.

In the final position of the parts, the latch is looking the dog against rising and the dog is locking the rotary coupling member against rotation in a Counter clockwise direction. Accordingly any subsequent forward pull of the draw bar is arrested by the jaw l8.

Itwill be observed that the hole 22 in the ring is large enough .so that should the draught slacken, the ring of the :draw bar will be guided back by the finger 3:and willsstrikeithe shoulder 8 at which time the forepart of the ring is clear of the front side of the jaw H8.

In order to subsequently release the coupler, it is only necessary to exert an upward pull on the free end of the latch as hereinbefore explained and this clears the dog and allows the coupling member to rotate under the forward pressure of the ring. By observing Figure 5, it will be noticed that in the released position of the coupling member, the dog prevents further rotary movement of the rotary coupling member in a counter clockwise direction and also acts due to its weight to hold the rotary coupling member in the position shown so that subsequent coupling of the ring is facilitated.

What we claim as our invention is:-

1. A coupler comprising a body member provided with a lower, centrally positioned, forwardly extending, stationary jaw and with a pair of forwardly extending, spaced arms above the jaw, a rotary coupling member positioned between the forward ends of the arms and pivotally car-v ried thereby, said coupling member being provided at the front side with a forwardly extending upper jaw and a pair of spaced lower jaws underlying the same, said lower jaws spanning the stationary jaw aforesaid and said upper jaws being adapted to take a substaritially vertical position adjacent to and overlying the stationary jaw in the clockwise rotation of the rotary member, a gravity operated, looking dog pivotally attached to the rear part of the rotary coupling member and normally riding the body member and adapted to take a substantially horizontal position and lock the rotary coupling member against counterclockwise rotation upon the upper jaw of the rotary member taking a substantially vertical position as aforesaid and a gravity operated latch pivotally carried by the dog and engaging the rotary coupling member to positively lock the dog against accidental release in the looking position of the dog. 2. A coupler comprising a body member provided with a lower, centrally positioned, forwardly extending, stationary jaw and with a pair of forwardly extending, spaced arms above the jaw, a rotary coupling member positioned between the forward ends of the arms and pivotally carried thereby, said coupling member being provided at the front side With a forwardlyextending upper jaw and a pair of spaced lower ja ws underlying the same, said lower jaws spanning the stationary jaw aforesaid and said upper jaws being adapted to take a substantially vertical position adjacent to and overlying the stationary jaw in the clockwise rotation of the rotarymember, a gravity operated, looking dog pivotally attached to the rear part of the rotary coupling member and normally riding the body member and adapted to take a substantially horizontal position with its rear end engaging the ,body member to lock the rotary member against counter-clockwise rotation upon the upper jaw of the rotary member taking a substantially vertical positionas aforesaid anda gravity operated latch pivotally attached to the rear end of the dog and engageablewith the rotary coupling member to positively lock the dog against accidental release in the looking position of the dog.

3. A coupler comprising a body member provided with alower, centrally positioned, forwardly extending, stationary jaw and With a pair of forwardly extending spaced arms above the jaw, a rotarycoupling member positioned between the forward ends of the arms and pivotally carried thereby, said coupling member being provided at the front side with a forwardly extending, upper jaw and a pair of spaced lower jaws underlyng the same, said lower jaws spanning the stationary jaw aforesaid and said upper jaws being adapted to take a substantially vertical position adjacent to and overlying the stationary jaw in the clockwise rotation of the rotary member, and having further a pair of rearwardly disposed side 1ugs presenting looking shoulders, a gravity operated,

looking dog pivotally carried by the lugs and nor ma1ly riding the body member and adapted to take a substantially horizontal position with its rear end engaging the body member to lock the rotary member against counter-clockwise rotaton upon the upper jaw of the rotary member taking a substantia1ly vertical position as aforesaid and a gravity operated latch pivotally attached to the rear end of the dog and having shoulders engageable With the shoulders aforesad to positively lock the dog against accidental release in the looking position of the dog.

4. In a coup1er, in combination, a stationary body member having a lower, central1y positioned, forwardly extending, stationary jaw and a pair of shoulders at the sides of the jaw and the j aw provided with a vertical shoulder and a pair of forwardly extendng spaced arms above the jaw and a rotary coup1ing member positioned between the forward ends of the arms and pivotally carried thereby, said coupling member being pro- Vided at the front side With a forward1yextendng upper jaw and a pair of spaced lower jaws underlying the same, said lower jaws spanning the stationary jaw aforesaid and being adapted when rotated in a clockwise direction to engage the pair of shoulders aforesaid and said upper jaw being adapted to take a substantiaiiy vertical position adjacent to and overlyng the stationary jaw and opposing the shoulder of the stationary jaw when the lower jaws are engaging the pair of shoulders.

JOSEPH ELLIOTI. JAMES CHALMERS.

CII 

